Recycling in Yukon
Plastics
Plastics are synthetic materials made from building blocks called hydrocarbons
found in oil and natural gas. These small molecules, called monomers, are bonded
into chains called polymers. Depending on the polymer combination, 7 different
plastic types are produced. Packaging is the largest single use of plastics.
Containers with the numbers 1 through 7 printed on the bottom account for almost
all plastics used in packaging.
WHAT PLASTICS CAN YOU RECYCLE?
All plastics are recyclable in the Yukon regardless of what number they have or even
if they have no number at all.
QUICK FACTS
Up to 10% of the price of
a product is used to
create it’s plastic
packaging.
Virgin plastics are not
manufactured in Yukon
or British Columbia.
However, recycled
plastic pellets are
produced in southern
BC.
25 two-litre pop bottles
can be recycled into an
adult size fleece jacket.
Half of all polyester
carpet manufactured in
the United States is
made from recycled
plastic beverage
containers.
Plastic bottles
are sorted by
types and
flattened.
Cut into pellets and sold
for remanufacturing.
The life of
a plastic
bottle
Extruded into
uncontaminated
plastic.
Flakes are
melted.
The flakes are filtered
and dried.
Sorted by
colour and
shredded into
flakes
The flakes are
washed and
scrubbed.
In Canada,
manufacturers use
3,508,000 tonnes of
plastics. Of this, 82% is
consumed domestically.
A truck that can hold
500,000 paper grocery
bags can hold 2.8
million plastic grocery
bags.
Recycling one plastic
bottle saves 93% more
energy than making it
from new oil.
#1 & #2 plastics are the
most valuable of all
plastics in the markets.
There are 18,000
two-litre PET bottles in
one tonne.
WHAT ARE PLASTICS RECYCLED INTO?
TYPICAL PRODUCTS
RECYCLED PRODUCTS
Soft drink bottles
Peanut butter jars
Pullover sweatshirts
Pillow stuffing
Milk, juice jugs
Shampoo, bleach bottles
Playground equipment
Blue Boxes
Drainage pipes
Packaging for meat
Water bottles
Floor tiles
Bubble wrap
Traffic cones
Bread bags
Grocery bags
Plastic lumber
Compost bins
Milk pouches
Syrup, ketchup bottles
Screw caps
Hairbrushes
Ice scrapers
Automotive battery cases
Foam cups
Compact disk cases
Filler in concrete forms
Egg cartons
In/Out/ trays
• A bird feeder, gardening scoops
Safety glasses
Automotive tail lights
Plastic lumber for picnic
tables
Outdoor signs
Plastic containers can be used for storing a variety of
things.
REDUCE
• When going shopping, bring a bag from home.
• Buy detergent pouches to refill your plastic containers.
• Purchase products without excess packaging.
• Purchase items in bulk or concentrated forms.
REUSE
Plastics bottles can be reused for making:
• Kids toys such as a money bank,
WHAT ARE CONTAMINANTS?
Contaminants include paper, glass, metal residues of
previous contents, and unacceptable plastics. These
contaminants can result in high maintenance costs, poor
quality pellets, and increased waste.
• Holiday Decorations
RECYCLE
Be sure to remove the lids, rinse, and flatten
the bottles before you take them to the nearest
recycling depot.
WHERE ARE PLASTICS PROCESSED?
Plastics are sent to markets that are in high demand for the
product. This can vary from within Canada to as far away as
India.
WHAT IS THE VALUE OF RECYCLED
PLASTICS?
Markets for recycled plastics are very volatile and are
affected by the price of virgin resin. If the price of virgin
plastic is lower than the recycled plastic, there will be an
overabundance of recycled plastic in the market. By
purchasing products with recycled content, we can help to
ensure end markets for recycled plastic.
Recycling plastics takes much less energy and natural
resources (such as water, petroleum and natural) than it
does to create virgin plastic. Recycling plastic products also
keeps them out of landfills.
updated December 2013
RECYCLING QUESTIONS?
Call us!: • Raven Recycling (667-7269)
• P&M Recyclng (667-4338)
• Blue Bin Society (633-2583)
zerowasteyukon.ca